Hundreds of Nigerian troops missing after Boko Haram ambush, media says
ABUJA — Hundreds of Nigerian troops went missing following an ambush by suspected Boko Haram extremists in Nigeria’s northeastern state of Borno, local media and residents said on Sunday.
The militants invaded a base holding more than 700 soldiers in Yobe state in an hourslong onslaught on Saturday night, a military source said on condition of anonymity.
Fewer than 100 soldiers have returned following the attack, which took place just 24 hours after Boko Haram extremists ambushed a military convoy in neighboring Borno state on Friday.
“Boko Haram terrorists attacked troops of the 81st Division Forward Brigade at Jilli village in Geidam district. The terrorists came in huge numbers around 7:30 pm and overran the base after a fierce battle that lasted until 9:10 pm,” said the military source.
“The base had 734 troops. Currently the commander of the base and 63 soldiers have made it to Geidam (60 kilometers away) while the remaining 670 are being expected,” he said, without elaborating on their possible fate.
“It is not clear they have been overpowered and kidnapped,” he said, adding that the base was new and the troops had recently arrived from Lagos.
Control of group
On Friday, 23 Nigerian soldiers went missing after Boko Haram ambushed a convoy outside Bama, leading to the loss of several military vehicles.
According to a military officer, “around 100 terrorists” attacked the convoy.
The sophisticated attacks highlighted the continued threat — and evolution — of Boko Haram, an Islamic State group ally, said Yan St-Pierre, counterterrorism adviser and head of the Berlin-based Modern Security Consulting Group.
St-Pierre suggested the attacks could be because Boko Haram extremists are vying for control of the faction led by Abubakar Shekau, the long-time leader who is reportedly ill.
“When a near-mythical leader is on his way out there’s always a battle to establish who could be next,” he said.
The attacks showed the persistent threat of Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region.
As the terrorists exploit rampant poverty in the region, the Nigerian army, which is overstretched and under-resourced, struggles to keep the insurgency in check.
“The supply of Boko Haram fighters is always there, either through kidnapping or economic reasons, they tap into a wide pool of personnel, they find a way to replenish their strength,” St-Pierre said.
President Muhammadu Buhari, 75, came to power three years ago on a promise to defeat Boko Haram.
But while there have been clear military gains since a counter-insurgency was launched in 2015, suicide bombings and raids remain a constant threat, particularly to civilians.
Boko Haram has devastated the region since 2009, leaving at least 20,000 people dead, displacing more than 2 million others and triggering a humanitarian crisis.